Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Storm Damage?

by COUNTRY Financial

Home insurance typically protects your house from storm-related damage. The amount of coverage depends on your policy, and some events, like floods, are not covered unless you purchase additional coverage.

But for damage caused by a typical storm, your standard home insurance policy generally protects your home and personal belongings.

What types of storm damage are covered by homeowners insurance? 

Homeowners insurance typically covers physical damage, water damage, and losses to personal belongings caused by storms.

Physical damage 

Physical damage to your home’s structure is protected by two coverages in your home insurance policy: dwelling coverage and other structures coverage. 

Dwelling coverage specifically protects the physical structure of your main house—that is, the house you live in. Other structures coverage does the same, but for other buildings on your property, like barns, sheds, gazebos and the like. 

Home insurance coverage will generally cover severe weather damage caused by: 

• Hail 
• Lightning strikes (including resulting fires) 
• High winds or tornadoes 
• Fallen trees and branches 
• Heavy weight of snow and ice 

Once you pay your home insurance deductible, your dwelling coverage and other structures coverage will help pay for the remainder of the damage (up to coverage limits). 

Water damage 

Home insurance will generally cover water damage caused by a storm. If severe weather breaches your home and exposes it to rainwater, dwelling coverage (or other structures coverage) can help pay for the resulting water damage to walls, floors and other interior structures. The same is true in the event of burst pipes during a hard winter freeze. 

Standard home insurance will not cover flood damage, however. You’ll need specific flood insurance to cover flood damage, which we’ll discuss later. 

Damage to personal belongings 

Personal belongings within your home aren’t immune to storm damage. A powerful storm can easily breach your home and damage things like furniture, electronics, clothes and more. 

Fortunately, most home insurance policies include personal property protection, which pays to repair (or replace, depending on your policy) damaged or destroyed items within your home.  

What types of storm damage are not covered by homeowners insurance? 

When it comes to natural disasters, there are two major events not covered by standard home insurance: floods and earthquakes. 

• Flood damage: Most homes aren’t located in major flood zones, so there’s no need for standard home policies to include coverage for flood damage. However, if you do live in a flood-prone area (or are otherwise concerned about flooding), you can purchase separate flood insurance from The National Flood Insurance Program. 
• Sump pump/sewer backup: Home insurance won’t cover sewer or drain backup into your home. This can happen when large amounts of rainfall overwhelm the city’s sewer system and push water into homes. There is coverage you can buy separately for this type of damage.  

How can I prepare for severe weather? 

Let’s face it: Nature’s fury has little regard for us humans. If a storm is powerful enough, there may be nothing you can do to prevent disaster. 

But not all storms are devastating, and even minor ones can cause damage if your house isn’t maintained. 

Here’s a list of things to prepare your home for severe weather: 

• Regularly inspect the exterior 
  • Check the roof 
  • Inspect siding 
  • Clean gutters and downspouts 
  • Trim trees and branches 
  • Reinforce doors and windows (especially if you live in a hurricane-prone area) 
• Protect the interior 
  • During powerful lightning storms, unplug electronics to prevent power surges 
  • Seal creaks around windows and doors 
  • Keep important documents and valuables in a safe or other water/fireproof storage 
• Have an emergency plan 
  • Designate a shelter area in case of a tornado (somewhere with no windows, preferably in the middle of the house) 
  • Stay informed with weather alerts from NOAA radio, phone apps and local news 
  • As a last resort, create a plan to evacuate your home ahead of a life-threatening storm 

Final thoughts 

Storms are an inevitable part of life on our planet. The destruction they cause is necessary to renew the environment, but they can also greatly disturb our lives. 

But when you’re armed with knowledge and preparation, a storm can inconvenience your family rather than devastate it.    

If you’d like to know more about how homeowners insurance covers storm damage, talk to your insurance agent today—they can help you determine how much coverage you need and answer any questions.

Updated 11-4-25